Conventional burners generally comprise fuel passageways for emitting fluid fuel and oxidant passageways for emitting oxidant, as shown by, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,310 and Brazilian Patent No. 8,503,088. The fluid fuel, such as oil, employed in the conventional burners is normally filtered before it is ejected through the fuel passageways of the conventional burners. By filtering the fuel, the fuel is prevented from clogging the fuel passageways. When the fluid fuel involved is heavy oil or liquid waste, filtering it adequately for the fuel passageways of the conventional burners is very difficult, if not economically unfeasible. Often, this fluid fuel can contain solid particles with a dimension of up to 10 mm, which can clog, block or obstruct the fuel passageways of the conventional burners.
In order to prevent such fluid fuel from clogging the fuel passageways, a nozzle assembly capable of passing a fluid fuel containing solid particles is employed to eject the fluid fuel. The nozzle assembly has a fuel or waste passageway having a diameter which is larger than the size of the largest particles in the fluid fuel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,333, for example, discloses a centrally located waste nozzle assembly for ejecting waste matter gravitationally, mechanically or pneumatically. This nozzle assembly is not indicated to be used for ejecting waste matter containing solid particles. If, however, it is used to eject waste matter containing solid particles having dimensions of up to 10 mm, the nozzle assembly must have a large diameter passageway capable of conveying or passing such solid particles. The large diameter passageway, however, adversely affects atomization or dispersement of the fluid fuel. Since failure to atomize or disperse fluid fuel sufficiently can prevent complete and stable combustion of the fluid fuel, a substantial amount of a fluid fuel atomizing or dispersing fluid, such as steam or air, is needed under substantial pressure to atomize or disperse the fluid fuel from the nozzle having the large diameter passageway.
Accordingly, there is a genuine need for effective and efficient atomization or dispersement of the fluid fuel containing solid particles, e.g., liquid waste contaminated with solid particles, in order to promote stable and effective combustion of the fluid fuel containing solid particles.